Karen Nersisian, a prominent human rights lawyer based in
Moscow, represented Igor Domnikov’s family during the investigation into the
journalist’s murder and the ensuing trial of criminal gang members based in
Naberezhnye Chelny. In April, CPJ spoke with Nersisian about the case.

You represented the Domnikov family during the
investigation and trial. What was your role?

I had to make certain that those charged with the murder were
indeed the killers, that the investigation was conducted fairly and
objectively, and that the masterminds were being sought. I traveled to
Naberezhnye Chelny, studied the materials of the criminal case, and interviewed
several of the suspects. I managed to persuade one such person to cooperate
with the prosecution. He started to fully cooperate and helped us much during
the trial. You know, to get the case solved, sometimes one has to use
untraditional methods.

What led
to a positive outcome?

The very fact this organized crime group
was one of the most dangerous and bloody ones in Russia helped. And thanks to
the media, thanks to the attention of the international community, we received
extensive publicity. The authorities were under pressure; the investigation
into Domnikov’s killing was being covered worldwide.

This was also a political move for Russia,
a chance to demonstrate to the world that it can solve crimes against
journalists, that it can bring at least one case to the end. Well, of course,
later on it became clear that the masterminds had found a way to influence the
process and circumvent justice. But at least in the beginning, things looked
optimistic.

How do
you evaluate the work of government investigators?

In the preliminary stages, I was confident
that both killers and masterminds would be brought to justice because the investigation
was carried out diligently. I was sure the investigation was tracking the real
killers and had the right culprits in custody. In the very beginning
investigators were working absolutely professionally, but it was clear that
they were under high pressure in the closing stages.

When the case went to trial, it became clear
that there was an order not to touch the masterminds. We were not given any
chance to ask questions about the masterminds once the trial started.

And the head of the criminal group, Eduard
Tagiryanov, he was at all times sticking to the point that it was all his
responsibility, that it was only his initiative to kill Domnikov—though he had
no apparent motive—and that no one had ordered him to do so.

This case once again proved that masterminds in Russia are
untouchables. If these are big officials, big powerful people, they will always
find a way to cover their tracks. Our Russian laws find their most merciful
application when it comes to this group of people.

What are
the key problems in the judicial system?

The judiciary is not independent. If judicial power was indeed
independent, laws would have been applied equally, not selectively. There is no
uniform standard of applying the laws in Russia.

The psychology of the powerful is that
justice must serve them. It has always been this way. The justice system itself
behaves as if it exists only by the mercy and under the patronage of the
powerful. It will take much work to change this psychology. This won’t happen
overnight. We need new people, new mentalities, new approaches.